Coral Reef Fish - Adaptations For Life on the Reef

Of the myriad creatures that inhabit coral reefs, none are more obvious, colorful, or moving to watch than the fishes that live there. Hundreds of species may be found in relatively small areas of reef, with many of these small, well camouflaged, or hidden.

Coral reefs are unusually complex and colorful marine environments. The corporal structure of these unique marine habitats differs radically from the open water habitats that comprise over 99% of the world's oceans, with a diversity of life unmatched in any other marine ecosystem. Therefore, it is not surprising that resident fishes have advanced a amount of specialized adaptations for life in these colorful and complex habitats.

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Coral Reef Fish - Adaptations For Life on the Reef

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The body shape of most species of fish that join together intimately with coral reefs differs substantially from the shapes of "typical" open water fishes. The latter are generally built for speed, and have evolved appropriate torpedo-like shapes that offer low frictional resistance to movement straight through water. However. In the complex reef environment, a superior is settled upon maneuverability rather than sheer speed. Thus, coral reef fish have evolved a body plan that maximizes their potential to make rapid turns, avoiding swift predators by speedily dodging into fissures in the reef or speedily circling colse to coral heads.

The essence of this form is a deep and laterally compressed body (shaped like a pancake), as well exemplified by the angelfishes and butterflyfishes. A less confident but vital aspect of this altered body plan includes a shift (compared to open water fishes) in the placement and orientation of the pectoral and pelvic fins, which act in concert with the flattened body shape to maximize maneuverability.

Coloration

Perhaps the most striking feature of coral reef fishes is the variety of fantastic and sometimes bizarre color patterns that adorn them. Again, the use of such color patterns in reef fishes contrasts starkly with the usual color patterns of open water fishes which typically are silvery.

The reasons for such moving and discrete color patterns been debated for some time. In some cases, the patterns appear to facilitate concealment under confident conditions, as when the fish is resting in single places. In other cases, coloration may be used in species recognition to assure mating success. Sometimes, moving contrasting colors are used to warn predators of venomous spines or flesh so as to avoid "mistaken" attacks.

Feeding Structures

With the unusual variety of prey items available to coral reef fishes, it is not surprising that many species have evolved extremely specialized jaws, mouths and teeth fine to single kinds of prey.

For example, "food specialists" like the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) have evolved protruding mouths that are in essence pliers armed with fine teeth - a mixture well fine to nipping the coral polyps that are the customary food source of these fishes. Similarly, the parrotfishes (Scaridae) have evolved a beak-like mouth ideally fine for scraping algae from hard coral surfaces.

In contrast, many other common reef-dwelling fishes such as snappers (Lutjanidae) are generalized feeders that have retained a more "typical" mouth and jaw structure that enables them to use a wide variety of prey.

There is still much to learn about this moving group of fishes, and the adaptations that have collectively made them such a diverse and thriving part of the reef fauna.

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